Wizarding World one-shots

Radiant Glasspetal and the First Quidditch Match - Part 2 (Glasswood)

"Welcome witches and wizards alike to the first Quidditch match of the season, Hufflepuff vs. Gryffindor!" Yasmine Jordan announced from the professor's stand.

Radiant listened to the cheering of the crowd and did her best to swallow down the lump in her throat. As she gripped onto her broom, the second year waved sheepishly, trying her best not to vomit.

Luckily for her, everyone's eyes were mostly on Fred and George Weasley, who walked onto the pitch on their hands with their legs in the air. She had always found their antics funny, but now she was extremely grateful for it.

"Weasleys, cut it out you eejits," Oliver muttered through the forced smile on his face.

"Yes Mum." said the twins in unison.

Radiant snorted, feeling a lot better and a little more confident. When George winked at her, a thought crossed her head. Did they do that to help her nerves? Or were they just acting like they normally did?

She didn't have very long to ponder it because a few seconds later, Madam Hooch stepped onto the field. Her hawk-like yellow eyes fell on each individual player.

"Captains, shake hands." Hooch commanded.

Oliver stepped towards the middle of the pitch, shaking hands with a large boy in golden robes Radiant could only assume was the Hufflepuff Quidditch Captain. She watched Oliver's forearm tense as he gripped onto his hand, as if he was trying to give him a death grip or something.

Radiant's lilac colored eyes wandered to the other members of the Hufflepuff team. Most of them looked older than her. In fact, it seemed like there were only two people her age on the team.

One was a boy with dark brown hair and grey eyes. He had the number 7 on his canary yellow jersey and was shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot.

Next to him was the other player Radiant's age: a girl with curly brown hair and striking silver eyes. She looked like she knew something Radiant didn't know, and she didn't like it.

"Mount your brooms, please."

Radiant shook her head, clearing her thoughts before climbing onto her broom, an older one than what she was used to.

Madam Hooch gave a long, sharp blast from her silver whistle.

Fifteen brooms rose into the air, and the game started.

"Gryffindor Chaser Zachary Glasspetal grabs the Quaffle immediately - he's an excellent Chaser if I do say so myself, very hot -"

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry Professor McGonagall," said Yasmine, though her tone clearly showed that she was, in fact, not sorry. "It's just, he holds the Quaffle the way I want him to hold our future child-"

She was cut off as the wand in her hands was thrusted to a younger boy next to her, one that looked strikingly similar to herself. The boy, who Radiant recognized as Fred and George's friend named Lee, grinned.

"Zachary Glasspetal passes it to his brother, who passes it back. Back to the first and - oh, caught by Hufflepuff Chaser Heidi Macavoy - off she goes."

Radiant watched as the brunette zoomed past her with the Quaffle. She gritted her teeth together and leaned forward, chasing her.

"Macovoy scor- no! Radiant Glasspetal, Gryffindor's new Chaser, grabs the Quaffle before she can toss it. Glasspetal, all three of them, toss the Quaffle between each other. Excellent form! Glasspetal - you know what, I'm calling them by their first names - Zachary gets the Quaffle back and - OUCH - that had to have hurt. Hit on the side by a bludger sent from Hufflepuff Beater Hadlee Euphoric - Hufflepuff takes the Quaffle - Macovoy dodges a bludger sent by Fred or George - can't tell which one - she's blocked by Gryffindor Captain and Keeper Oliver Wood, who tosses the Quaffle to Radiant Glasspetal."

"Go!" Oliver yelled.

Radiant nodded and turned her broom the opposite direction, speeding towards the Hufflepuff goal. She feels a shift in the air and flipped upside down in a flash of red. The bludger that was about to hit her square in the back clipped the end of her red braid. She watched one of the Weasley twins hit it with the Beater's bat before speeding past him.

Radiant raised her arm, acting as if she was going to throw the Quaffle into the left hoop. The Hufflepuff Keeper moved to intercept the ball, leaving the right hoop completely open as Radiant threw it in.

"GRYFFINDOR SCORES!" Lee yelled.

Radiant's heart swelled with pride as the Gryffindor stands erupted into cheers. They were cheering for her. All the feelings of doubt and anxiety she was feeling melted away as the crowd grew louder.

She glanced over to the opposite hoops where Oliver was. He had a large smile on his face and gave her a wink when he noticed her looking in his direction.

Radiant's face flushed almost as red as her hair.

The Quidditch match continued well into the evening. Radiant had been playing for hours, but still moved enthusiastically as if she wasn't tired. She was having too much fun to worry about stupid things like physical exhaustion.

"What's this?" Lee leaned forward as Radiant flew past, two Hufflepuff chasers hot on her tail. "Cedric Diggory has caught the Golden Snitch!"

Radiant gasped, turning to the direction of the field she just passed. She didn't know which one was Cedric. Her eyes landed on the boy in her year that she had seen at the beginning of the match. He held the Golden Snitch in his gloved hand.

"Hufflepuff Seeker Cedric Diggory caught the Golden Snitch, bringing in a hundred and fifty points to his team, which leads Hufflepuff to one hundred and seventy points against Gryffindor's... ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY! GRYFFINDOR WINS!"

Radiant took a second to process what Lee had said before a wide smile stretched across her face. She let out a whoop, pumping her first into the air.

The Gryffindor stands erupted into chaos as the students screamed and cheered. Radiant gasped as Zachary lifted her off her broom, pulling her into a tight hug. She felt another set of arms wrap around them both, who she could only assume was Arthur.

"We are so proud of you," Zachary mumbled against her hair.

"You were on fire!" Arthur added.

Radiant felt Fred and George both pat her on the back, saying something she couldn't hear over the screaming. She couldn't hear much of anything.

"You were bloody brilliant Radiant."

Radiant turned to her left where Oliver Wood stood, a small smirk on his face. Something about that smirk made Radiant want to do something rash and filled her with confidence she didn't know she had.

"You weren't too bad yourself Ace," she said with a cheeky grin. "Maybe someday you can give me some pointers."

"I think I'd like that."

They stared at each other, grinning, until Fred and George started making kissing noises.

"If you two are done making goo goo eyes at each other, we're going to steal some food and leave it in the common room." Fred looked between the two, smirking. "Unless you want to stand here all night."

"Shove off Weasley," Radiant said, rolling her eyes. There was no bite behind her tone though.

She rolled her eyes again as the twins walked off, still making kissing sounds.

Oliver turned to Radiant, holding his arm out.

"Come on, let's get you to the common room to celebrate."

Radiant took his arm and stood on her toes, gently kissing his cheek. Oliver's face flushed as he put a hand to the spot where her lips were.

"What was that for?"

"A thank you. For... for believing in me."

Oliver chuckled, gently patting her hand. "Always."